Theory emerges over timing of Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou sacking

As the dust settles on Ange Postecoglou’s sacking, a theory has emerged that might go some way to explaining Tottenham’s brutal decision.

Ange Postecoglou was sacked 16 days after winning the Europa League — and now a theory has emerged as to why Spurs waited til then.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy axed the boss early on Saturday (AEST), just over two weeks after that glorious night in Bilbao.

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Victory over Manchester United in Spain ended the club’s 17-year wait for a trophy, but it wasn’t enough to save him after Tottenham’s worst ever Premier League season.

But after leaving Postecoglou in the dark over his future, Spurs finally announced he was relieved of his duties on Friday afternoon.

It marked exactly two years to the day from when the Australian landed the job in North London, signing a four-year deal at the time.

The Sun reports BBC senior football reporters Ian Dennis and Sami Mokbel discussed the sacking on the Football Daily Podcast.

Both were adamant that the move to get rid of Postecoglou was made before the final.

They said league form was seen as the “true barometer” and Europa League success was just a “bump in the road” to their ultimate decision.

Dennis shared a theory that explained the over two-week wait for the confirmation of Postecoglou’s sacking.

He tweeted: “Interesting his departure was timed after he had completed two years and on the first day of his third year. Significant in any settlement?”

Ange Postecoglou had two years left on his Tottenham contract. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

Postecoglou has reportedly pocketed £4 million (A$8.3) million) after being shown the exit door by Levy.

He already collected a £2 million (A$4.1 million) bonus for getting the club into the Champions League by winning the Europa League — giving Postecoglou a total payout of around A$12.4 million.

On Postecoglou’s departure, Dennis said: “It was such an inevitability that it was going to happen.

“They got off to an absolutely flying start when he first arrived and it’s funny how perceptions can change through results.

“If they had started slowly and finished well, you would not be referring to the 78 points from the last 66 games.

“It seems there has not been an improvement in their league form.”

Brentford’s Thomas Frank is the leading candidate to take over and he has a £10m (A20m) release clause in his contract.

Fulham’s Marco Silva and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola remain in contention for the vacant Tottenham job.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy decided to sack Ange. (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

Where will Ange Postecoglou coach next?

Attention will quickly turn to which club Postecoglou will coach next, and while there are no shortage of options, his next move is unclear.

Postecoglou is bound to land on his feet one way or another with a new coaching job but it remains to be seen where that will be, but he will likely wish to remain in Europe and prove his critics wrong in the Premier League at another club.

Timing could be an issue for Postecoglou, with Socceroos great Robbie Slater telling Code Sports it might be tough for the 59-year-old to secure a new job before the new season starts in August.

“He put himself in that top echelon by being at a big club and winning a big trophy,” Slater said.

“The way he plays football, I don’t think a lower club in the Premier League will look at him and go we can take that risk.

“And 22 Premier League games lost, I can’t see one of the big ones again, at least not just yet.

Postecoglou will be a wanted man in Europe, but where will he land? (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP)

“He might get that opportunity in Europe, maybe Spain or France. I don’t know.

“He’s gonna get a job. I can’t see him not. He will be in demand.

“I think he’s done well enough at Celtic to show League success and by lifting this trophy he will stay in one of the top five leagues which is in Italy, France, Germany, Spain or England.

“He won’t have a job to start next season but as we know in football it won’t take long.”

Football expert Daniel Garb told the ABC: “I think he holds his reputation from when he came to Spurs from Celtic, and to be honest, considering he’s been relieved of his duties, that’s not necessarily a bad situation to be in.”

The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare wrote on X: “An element of this I’ve found really interesting throughout is what’s Ange’s next job? He’s such a hard manager to place in the footballing ecosystem

“Can sort of imagine a historic club like Ajax where he talks in his first presser about watching Cruyff as a kid with his old man.”

Champions League runners-up Inter Milan are looking for a manager after Simone Inzaghi moved to Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal.

But top European clubs would be eager to assess Postecoglou further before appointing him as coach, he could coach a club in Turkey or Greece to further enhance his coaching CV.

Another option is becoming coach of a national team ahead of next year’s FIFA World Cup, where 48 teams will compete in an expanded competition.

Tony Popovic is leading the Socceroos to a sixth consecutive World Cup, while ex-Socceroos boss Graham Arnold is now the coach of Iraq.

This article originally appeared in The Sun and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Theory emerges over timing of Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou sacking